GMOA to take TU action against KDU Bill

23 April 2018 05:20 pm

The GMOA today said it would join other anti-SAITM groups to launch trade union action if the government attempts to pass the proposed Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Bill.

It said though the GMOA asked the Government to enroll the SAITM students at the KDU, the government’s mechanism to do so had further aggravated the issue.

GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge told a news conference that the proposed KDU Bill violates the the Medical Ordinance and the University Act.

He said if the Bill bypasses the need for the Act 16 examination and that the need for a compliance certificate would be nullified because the Bill also challenges the role of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

Dr. Aluthge said the proposed Bill was prepared by University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Mohan de Silva and Sanjaya Rajaratnam of the Attorney General’s Department with the intention of safeguarding SAITM.

GMOA will meet anti-SAITM groups on Friday to decide who they should continue the struggle.

Meanwhile, the GMOA executive committee is to meet on May 3 with regard to the trade union action. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)